Luanda, Nov.7 (Lusa) – Angola’s state oil company Sonangol and Italy’s energy giant ENI on Wednesday signed an addendum of a contract for the exploration of Angola's Block 15/06, according to an official statement released today.
The addendum of the contract is in line with the Italian oil company’s strategy to increase exploration activity in Angola, and especially in finding new wells near to the existing ones, the statement by ENI said.
The addendum was signed at a time when ENI's CEO, Claudio Descalzi, is in Angola, having met the president of Angola, João Lourenço, this morning, to assess ENI’s activity in the country as well as new initiatives.
ENI accelerated its exploration programme following an oil discovery in Block 15/06, in the Kalimba exploration project, on 1 June.
The company expects to raise production to over 50,000 barrels of oil per day in the upcoming months, and up to 170,000 by the start of next year.
The 15/06 Block, detained by Sonangol P&K (36.84%) and SSI (26.82%), is located 350km northeast of Luanda and 135km east of Soyo, in the north, in deep waters of between 200 and 1,800 metres.
Angola's president João Lourenço, who came into power in September, has pledged to push on with reforms to boost production in Africa's second biggest oil industry.
ENI has been in Angola since 1980.
JSD/MWYP // ADB.
Lusa